Thursday 3 September

Across

7 Wrestler’s trick with bad acne (4,4) 9 Small opening in Gogglebox you once rejected (6) 10 Sample from Lulu apparently repulsed my colleague (4) 11 Musicians performing late in ancient city (3,7) 12 Stuff clinging to the back of Pete Best? (6) 14 Militant going into business with John Denver here (8) 15 Ducks once more coming back for rest (6) 17 German band love Foreigner, but not in a nice way (6) 20 Child cuddling cross monster (8) 22 Every year songbirds going west over the hill (4,2) 23 Ground doesn’t vex a Manchester United manager (4,6) 24 Put on endless party (4) 25 Prime minister’s note opened by billionaire (6) 26 Number 19 nailing 501 (8)

Down

1 Imposing women arrange bets (8) 2 Particular canine abandoned by waterway (4) 3 Car rentals regularly in competition (6) 4 Derisive remark about my Picasso? (8) 5 Fruit recipe stopping tennis ace going bananas (10) 6 Top ambassador interrupting ball (6) 8 Means business (6) 13 One who may charge money around statue (10) 16 3 characters in hotel ate ridiculously (8) 18 Islander’s fine home about to get washed out (8) 19 Blue Ivy Carter initially supports Beyonce’s latest nonsense (6) 21 Console gutted Modigliani over pictures (6) 22 Long track in evergreen forest (6) 24 The Sun ringing Brockwell for dirt (4)